Customizable Universal Heel Protector Assembly

ABSTRACT

The universal heel protection assembly disclosed herein includes an outer shell and a removable engagement member sized for receipt within the outer shell. The heel protection assembly may be sized to increase the surface area of the heel portion of footwear, such as high-heel shoes. The engagement members may include flexible vanes for receiving the heel of a piece of footwear to enable a universal fit for a variety of heel sizes and shapes. Accordingly, the universal heel protection assembly may provide a one-size fits all solution for high-heel wearers when they walk on grass, grates, and cracked surfaces. This device may fit on the bottom of the high-heel, protecting the heel from surface damage while supporting the wearer on various surfaces. The heel protection assembly may utilize at least two types of material, including a soft material for contacting the footwear.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a non-provisional of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/533,655 titled “CUSTOMIZABLE UNIVERSAL HEEL PROTECTOR ASSEMBLY”, filed 17 Jul. 2017, which is incorporated herein as if set out in full.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The technology described herein relates to heel protector assemblies for attachment to the heel of a shoe. In particular, the heel protector assemblies described herein may provide a universal and customizable solution to help improve stability of high-heel, stiletto, and similar types of footwear. The heel protector assemblies described herein may also increase the contact surface area of the heel to help prevent the heel of the shoe from sinking into a soft surface and/or falling into a crack or gap.

BACKGROUND

A common experience of users of certain types of shoes, such as high-heel or stiletto-type shoes, is the problem of having the heel of the shoe make walking difficult in certain situations. In particular, using high-heel shoes or other shoes with a narrow or pointed heel can cause pronounced instability on soft or uneven surfaces such as grass, dirt, sand, gravel, mud, cobblestone, gratings, decks, and the like. As a person uses the shoe, their weight is concentrated onto a relatively small area of the heel. As a result, the heel is likely to sink into the softer surface and cause the user to stumble or fall, and in some instances can even cause significant damage to the heel of the shoe including marring, tearing, or ripping of the heel material. In extreme situations the heel may even break off. In addition to requiring costly repair or replacement of the shoe, this also may present a danger to the user, while reducing their ability to use the shoe while at the event.

However, in many situations high-heeled shoes may be desirable or expected to be used. For example, at weddings, corporate or social events, horse races, employment environments, in theatrical or cinematic settings, for fashion, and the like, a user may desire to use high-heeled shoes. If such an event takes place in an environment with mixed surfaces, such as an outside event, a beach wedding, a historic venue, and the like, the user may choose to bring a separate pair of shoes simply to enable easily and safely traversing softer and/or uneven surfaces. In other instances, a user may have to opt to go without shoes which may not be desirable due to, for example, the length of their dress, gown, or other clothing and the increased possibly of said clothing getting dirty or damaged.

Event planners and users of high-heel shoes may want to enable the use of these shoes in various environments, while facilitating a safe environment for guests and improving stability when using a high-heel or similar type of shoe. Previous solutions to this problem required specific sizes of protection devices to be purchased and provided because of the varying sizes, shapes, and diameters of high-heel shoe heels. This increases the expense of owning or providing these protection devices, and as with most one-size-fits-most solutions, previous solutions either do not work well with most shoes, are incompatible with many types of shoes, or themselves can cause damage to the heel of the shoes due to an imprecise fit to the heel and poor design. Furthermore, previous solutions have not provided increased stability while retaining an attractive, pleasant, and customizable look, which results in reduced adoption of such protection devices. Lastly, previous solutions have been unitary devices which provide little customization by the user.

Accordingly, there is a need for a customizable, personalizable, and universal heel protector assembly and system, which can be readily adopted by users of high-heel shoes and can be easily provided by event planners in large quantities while meeting the needs of every type of shoe design.

The information included in this Background section of the specification, including any references cited herein and any description or discussion thereof, is included for technical reference purposes only and is not to be regarded subject matter by which the scope of the invention as defined in the claims is to be bound.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure is directed to addressing the deficiencies discussed above in the Background section.

As set forth herein, the present disclosure includes a universal heel protection assembly for use with footwear, comprising: a outer shell comprising an opening at a top end of the outer shell, an engagement member comprising a plurality of vanes and at least one engagement surface, wherein the engagement member is configured to be entirely received in the opening of the outer shell such that the engagement member does not extend from the top end, and the vanes are configured for securely receiving a heel of the footwear therein.

As set forth herein, the present disclosure includes a method of providing supplemental support for footwear having a heel, comprising: providing a heel protection assembly including an outer shell including an opening at a top end of the outer shell, and an engagement member comprising a plurality of vanes and at least one engagement surface, nesting the engagement member within the opening of the outer shell by inserting the engagement member into the opening, inserting the heel into the engagement member, wherein the at least one engagement surface and/or vanes flexibly deform to secure the heel within the heel protection assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate perspective views of a heel protector assembly according to a first example.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the heel protector assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of the assembled heel protector assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 illustrates a top perspective view of an outer shell of the heel protector assembly of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are upper and lower perspective views of the engagement member of the heel protector assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of a heel protector assembly according to a second example.

FIG. 9 is a top view of the heel protector assembly according to FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the heel protector assembly according to FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a right side view of the heel protector assembly according to FIG. 8.

FIG. 12 is a front view of the heel protector assembly according to FIG. 8.

FIG. 13A is a partial front view of the heel protector assembly according to FIG. 8.

FIG. 13B is a cross sectional right side view of the heel protector assembly according to FIG. 13A.

FIG. 14 illustrates a bottom perspective view of the assembled heel protector assembly according to FIG. 8.

FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the heel protector assembly according to FIG. 8.

FIG. 16 is a top view of the assembled heel protector assembly according to FIG. 8.

FIG. 17A is a side view of the engagement member of the heel protector assembly according to FIG. 8.

FIG. 17B is a cross-sectional side view of the engagement member heel protector assembly according to FIG. 17A

FIG. 18 is a to view of the engagement member of the heel protector assembly according to FIG. 8.

FIG. 19 is an exploded view of a heel protector assembly according to a third example.

FIG. 20A is a side view of a partially assembled heel protector assembly according to FIG. 19.

FIG. 20B is a cross-sectional view of the assembled heel protector assembly according to FIG. 20A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

All directional references (e.g., proximal, distal, upper, lower, upward, downward, left, right, lateral, longitudinal, front, back, top, bottom, above, below, vertical, horizontal, radial, axial, clockwise, and counterclockwise) are only used for identification purposes to aid the reader's understanding of the present invention, and do not create limitations, particularly as to the position, orientation, or use of the invention. Connection references (e.g., attached, coupled, connected, and joined) are to be construed broadly and may include intermediate members between a collection of elements and relative movement between elements unless otherwise indicated. As such, connection references do not necessarily infer that two elements are directly connected and in fixed relation to each other. The exemplary drawings are for purposes of illustration only and the dimensions, positions, order and relative sizes reflected in the drawings attached hereto may vary.

The description which follows presents several examples of heel protector assemblies which provide a universal, customizable, and personalizable solution which enables users of high-heeled shoes to safely and confidently traverse uneven, soft, and unpredictable surfaces. The assemblies described herein generally include an outer shell member which is rigid and which cooperates with an inner engagement member. The engagement member may slide or pop into an opening in the outer shell member and be securely retained therein. The engagement member may be formed to provide a flexible and universal fit so that heels with varying shapes, sizes, and diameters may be used with the same engagement member. Furthermore, heel protector assemblies described herein provide an increased surface area or platform size for the heel by having a larger diameter than the heel itself. This may help reduce or prevent the chance of a heel sinking into a soft surface, falling into a crack or grating, or otherwise causing instability and danger to the user. The heel protector assemblies may also increase the gripping ability of a heel, so that use of a high-heeled shoe on a polished or smooth surface or floor may be done safely and with confidence.

Additionally, by providing a universal solution capable of being used with a large variety of sizes and shapes of heels, event coordinators, planners, and venues may purchase many heel protector assemblies for their guests without having to guess what sizes to buy and without worrying that they will run out of a certain size. By providing a flexible and removable engagement member with the heel protector assembly, the engagement member can work with nearly all styles and sizes of heels, and if damaged during use can be easily replaced without having to buy new outer shell portions. This may reduce the cost of providing the heel protector assemblies and provide an incentive for event planners and venues to provide such heel protector assemblies.

Furthermore, the heel protector assemblies described herein may provide a protective cover for the heel of a high-heel shoe. By covering the heel, the heel protector assemblies described herein may act as a barrier between the heel and abrasive or hard surfaces, such as hardwood flooring, concrete floors, gratings, gravel, and the like, to reduce damage to such surfaces from the footwear. The heel protector assemblies may also act as a vibration or impact absorbing device to protect the heel from being worn down, deformed, or damaged by such surfaces. Additionally, heel protector assemblies described herein may increase the surface area over which a user's weight is distributed while walking in the high-heel shoe. By increasing the contact surface area, or platform, over which the user's weight is distributed, the heel protector assemblies may increase a user's stability while using the high-heel shoe and reduce the chances of the heel sinking into a softer surface, or causing the user to otherwise lose their balance and fall. This may be particularly useful for users who are not accustomed to wearing high-heel shoes, or who may need assistance with walking, such as children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and the like. Although discussed herein as being used with high-heel shoes, it is contemplated that the heel protector assemblies may also be used with other styles of shoes which have a defined heel, such as stiletto-style shoe, pumps, and other shoes with tall or pronounced heels.

With reference now to the figures, an example of the heel protector will be described with respect to FIGS. 1-7. FIGS. 1-2 illustrate perspective views of the heel protector assembly 100 when assembled for use. The heel protector assembly 100 includes an outer shell 105 having a generally tapered shape with an aperture or opening 106 on an upper portion thereof for receiving an engagement member 130 therein. The outer surface 110 of the outer shell 105 may include one or more surface features 112 such as spirals or grooves. Although illustrated as spirals or grooves, it is noted that the present disclosure is not limited to this and the surface features 112 may include facets on the surface of the outer shell 105, bumps, textured or patterned surface features, dimpled surface features, and the like. Additionally, the outer surface of the outer shell 105 may be made smooth and substantially free of surface features 112. In addition to providing a gripping surface for placement of the heel protector assembly 100 on the heel of a shoe, such as a high-heel shoe or stiletto shoe (not shown), the surface features 112 may have an aesthetically pleasing look. At a bottom end of the outer shell 105 the outer surface 110 of the outer shell 105 may include a beveled or chamfered edge 115. The beveled edge 115 may be provided to allow for a more natural walking position and to reduce the concentration of forces at the edge of the outer shell 105 when in use (e.g., when a user is walking with the heel protector assembly 100 coupled to a heel of a shoe).

The engagement member 130 may be sized cooperate with the outer shell 105 to be removably secured therein, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-2. The engagement member 130 may include a plurality of vanes 132 for accepting a heel portion of a shoe therein. In some examples, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the engagement member may also include a plurality of grip members 134A, 134B such that the grip members 134A, 134B extend past a bottom surface 114 of the outer shell 105. The grip members 134A, 134B may be formed from the same material as the engagement member 130, discussed below, and may provide an additional friction surface and gripping platform between the heel protector assembly 100 and a walking surface when the heel protector assembly 100 is in use.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the heel protector assembly 100. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the engagement member 130 may include an outer surface 131 which is substantially cylindrical. In some examples, the outer surface 131 may include retention members 136 provided around a periphery of the outer surface 131. The retention members 136 may cooperate with recesses 116 (see FIG. 5) provided on an inner surface of the outer shell 105. As illustrated in FIG. 3 and FIGS. 5-7, plural retention members 136 are provided on outer surface 131 of the engagement member 130. A corresponding plurality of recesses 116 are provided on an inner surface of the outer shell 105 to receive and cooperate with retention members 136. In some examples, recesses 116 may be provided at a lower end of the shell 105, while in other examples recesses 116 may be provided along a full height of the shell 105. Grip members 134A may in some examples extend from the retention members 136. In other examples, grip members 134A may be provided with or without retention members 136. In some examples, when inserted into the opening 106 of the outer shell 105, the retention members 136 may form a frictional or interference fit within the recesses 116 of the outer shell 105 to securely retain the engagement member 130 within the outer shell 105.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the grip members 134A extending from a bottom end of the retention members 136, or separately provided without retention members 136, may be sized and shaped to extend through the apertures 118A and protrude past a bottom surface 114 of the outer shell 105. In this way, in some examples, retention members 136 may also form a portion of the gripping members 134A as discussed above. However, in other examples the retention members 136 may be sized such that they are flush with or recessed within the corresponding apertures 118A, 118B formed in the bottom surface 114 of the outer shell 105.

With reference to FIG. 5, a perspective view of the outer shell 105 is illustrated. The apertures 118A, 118B are clearly visible and are positioned in a location such that the gripping members 134A and auxiliary gripping members 134B may extend therethrough. As discussed above, by enabling the gripping members 134A, 134B to extend through apertures 118A, 118B, respectively, the heel protector assembly 100 may provide additional stability and frictional resistance when used on surfaces which are hard, smooth, polished, and the like. Additionally, gripping members 134A, 134B may also be formed of the same, softer material as the engagement member 130 and provide a sound-dampening quality. In some settings where the heel protector assembly 100 may be used, such as churches, theater, cinema, funerals, and the like, the sound-dampening quality may be particularly desirable to prevent unwanted noise. It is noted that in some examples, gripping members 134B may be omitted or sized such that they allow for at least a portion of the apertures 118B to remain open, thereby enabling draining or removal of any built-up water, moisture, and/or debris from within the outer shell 105.

The outer shell 105 may be formed from a rigid material to ensure that it can retain the overall structure of the outer shell 105 as well as absorb the impact forces when in use. In particular, the outer shell 105 may be formed from a rigid polymer or plastic, a composite polymer, wood, metal, and the like. In some examples the outer shell 105 may be made of nylon, thermoplastic resin, acrylic resin, acrylic polymer, polycarbonate, polyurethane, an the like. By forming the outer shell 105 from a rigid material, the life of the heel protector assembly 100 may be increased, allowing the assembly 100 to be re-used by the user. Furthermore, the rigid material may be more resilient against cracking and other types of mechanical failure, thereby ensuring that the user can safely use the heel protector assembly 100. In some examples, the outer shell 105 may be coated with a resilient or sound-dampening material such as silicone or rubber. In such examples, the rubber or silicone material may be sprayed on or applied to the outer surface of the outer shell 105, while in other examples the outer shell 105 may be dipped in the silicone or rubber material. Although silicone and rubber are specifically discussed as examples, other similar materials may be used to provide sound-dampening or force-absorbing functionality on an exterior of the outer shell 105.

The engagement member 130 may be formed from a resilient or flexible material to allow the heel of the shoe to be placed therein. In some examples, the engagement member 130 may be formed from a silicone polymer, a soft polymer or plastic, a urethane polymer, closed or open-cell foam, rubber, cork, and the like. In some examples, the engagement member 130 may have a Shore durometer value between 10 and 40. In other examples, a preferred Shore durometer value may be 30. Accordingly, in some examples the material of the engagement member 130 may have a tacky or rubberized surface texture, which will ensure that the engagement member 130 is securely retained within the outer shell 105. That is, the combination of a frictional force between the outer surface 131 of the engagement member 130 and the inner surface of the outer shell 105, as well as the interference fit between the retention members 136 and the recesses 116, ensures that the engagement member 130 is securely retained within the outer shell 105.

It is noted that in some examples the engagement member 130 material may be flexible, and therefore the engagement member 130 may be easily removed when not in use with a shoe or other footwear. Accordingly, if the engagement member 130 becomes damaged, ineffective, or a user desires to replace it with a different size, color, or design, the heel of the shoe can be removed from the heel protector assembly 100 and engagement member 130 may be easily removed from the outer shell 105. However, when a heel is placed within the heel protector assembly 100, and in particular within the engagement member 130, the frictional force and interference fit are substantially increased. This may result from the increase of radial force on the vanes 132 urging the vanes 132 outward from the heel, thereby transferring the force radially toward the inside surface of the outer shell 105. This ensures a strong interference fit between retention members 136 and recesses 116, as well as an increased frictional force between the outer surface 131 of the engagement member 130 and the inside surface of the outer shell 105.

Furthermore, it is noted that the materials used for the outer shell and engagement member may have various shapes, transparency, translucency, and the like, to provide a pleasing and customizable look.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, which are upper and lower perspective views of the engagement member 130, respectively, the vanes 132 include engagement surfaces 137 and a sloped surface extending from the top surface 133 of the engagement member 130. The sloped surface of the vane 132 may enable easy insertion of a heel portion of a shoe, while also allowing the vanes 132 to deform to accommodate the heel. That is, when a heel is inserted into the engagement member, the vanes 132 may flex and deform to allow heels with various shapes and diameters to be inserted into the engagement member 130. When the vanes 132 are deformed by the inserted heel, such as flexing azimuthally about the heel or being radially compressed, the effective surface area of the engagement surface 137 between the heel and the vanes 132 may increase. Furthermore, the flexion and deformation of the vanes 132 may provide a squeezing or inwardly radial force on the heel. The increased engagement surface 137 and the squeezing force, alone or in combination, may increase the frictional force between the vanes 132 and the heel and ensure that the heel is securely retained within the engagement member 130 of the heel protector assembly 130, while also allowing for a universal fit to various types, styles, and sizes of heels.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the gripping member 134B may extend from a bottom surface 135 of the vanes 132. As discussed above, gripping members 134B and 134A may be sized and shaped such that when the engagement member 130 is placed within the outer shell 105, the gripping members 134A, 134B may extend below a bottom surface 114 of the outer shell 105. However, it is noted that in some examples, the gripping members 134A, 134B may not extend past a bottom surface 114 and may be sized such that they are flush with the bottom surface 114. In other examples, the gripping members 134A, 134B may be sized such that they are recessed within the apertures 118B of the outer shell 105 rather than being flush with a bottom surface 114. This may enable increased grip and traction on softer surfaces, such as sand, grass, mud, and the like. However, in many examples the gripping members 134A, 134B will interact with apertures 118A, 118B, respectively, to ensure that the engagement member 130 does not rotate within the outer shell 130. This may also ensure that the engagement member 130 is secured within the outer shell 105 by maintaining alignment of the retention members 136 and recesses 116.

In some examples, the bottom surface 114 may have various thicknesses to enable the heel protector assembly 100 to increase or decrease the height of the heel inserted therein. This may be particularly useful when a heel has become damaged or worn, wherein the height of one heel does not match the height of the heel of the other matching shoe. This may also be useful if the user of the high-heel shoe has an anatomical difference or disparity in one of the user's feet or legs, which may cause an uneven length for the leg or posture of the foot. Accordingly, in some examples a heel protector assembly 100 may include a thicker bottom surface 114, thereby compensating for the anatomical disparity. Similarly, instead of or in addition to a variable thickness to the bottom surface 114, the length that the grip members 134A, 134B extend below the bottom surface may be adjusted to compensate or accommodate the anatomical difference or disparity discussed above. That is, an engagement member 130 may be selected or replaced within the outer shell 105 such that the grip members 134A, 134B extend below the bottom surface 114 by a desired amount, thereby effectively changing the resting height of the heel and compensating for any anatomical disparities.

With reference now to FIGS. 8-18, another example of a heel protector assembly 200 will be discussed. In some examples, the heel protector assembly 200 may share many of the same overall characteristics as discussed above with respect to heel protector assembly 100. In particular, the heel protector assembly 200 may include an engagement member 230 and an outer shell 205, where the engagement member 230 is removably coupled with the outer shell 205. Similar to the heel protector assembly 100, the outer shell 205 may be formed from a rigid material to ensure that it can retain the overall structure of the outer shell 205 as well as absorb the impact forces when in use. The outer shell 205 may be coated with a resilient, force-absorbing, or sound-dampening, material similar as discussed above with respect to shell 105. By forming the outer shell 205 from a rigid material, the life of the heel protector assembly 200 may be increased, allowing the assembly 200 to be re-used by the user. Furthermore, the rigid material may be more resilient against cracking and other types of mechanical failure, thereby ensuring that the user can safely use the heel protector assembly 200.

The engagement member 230 may be formed from a resilient or flexible material to allow the heel of the shoe to be placed therein. In some examples, the engagement member 230 may be formed from a silicone polymer, a soft polymer or plastic, a urethane polymer, closed or open-cell foam, rubber, cork, and the like. Similar Shore durometer values may be selected for the engagement member 230 material as discussed above with respect to engagement member 130. Accordingly, in some examples the material of the engagement member 230 may have a tacky or rubberized surface texture, which will ensure that the engagement member 230 is securely retained within the outer shell 205. That is, the frictional force between the outer surface 231 of the engagement member 230 and the inner surface of the outer shell 205, ensures that the engagement member 230 is securely retained within the outer shell 205. In some examples, the engagement member 230 may include retention members (not shown) to provide interference fit between the retention members 236 and the recesses (not shown) on an inner surface of the outer shell 205. These retention members and recesses may be substantially similar to the retention members and recesses discussed above with respected to FIGS. 1-7.

Furthermore, it is noted that the materials used for the outer shell and engagement member may have various shapes, transparency, translucency, and the like, to provide a pleasing and customizable look.

With reference to FIGS. 8 and 10, the heel protection assembly 200 may include an outer shell 205 and an engagement member 230. At a bottom end of the outer shell 205 the outer surface 210 of the outer shell 205 may include a beveled or chamfered edge 215. The beveled edge 215 may be provided to allow for a more natural walking position and to reduce the concentration of forces at the edge of the outer shell 205 when in use (e.g., when a user is walking with the heel protector assembly 200 coupled to a heel of a shoe). The outer surface 210 of the outer shell 205 may be formed with a plurality of faceted faces. The faceted surfaces of some examples may increase the aesthetic appeal of the outer shell 205 while also enabling easy gripping of the outer shell 205 by the user, which may enable easier application of the heel protector assembly 200 to a heel of a shoe or other footwear (not shown).

In some examples, there may be ten faceted faces forming the outer surface 210 of the outer shell 205, thereby forming a decagonal cross-sectional shape, as best illustrated in the top plan view of FIG. 9. Accordingly the overall shape of the outer shell 210 may reflect and refract light to create a pleasing, diamond- or ruby-like appearance. Furthermore, by provided a plurality of faceted surfaces, if the heel protector assembly rotates unexpectedly on the heel of the footwear (not shown), then one of the chamfered edges 215 corresponding to the faceted surfaces may still be safely aligned for use. That is, with a plurality of faceted surfaces, it is more likely that a chamfered edge 215 will be aligned with he ground thus reducing the chances of a user of the heel protector assembly from being knocked off balance, the footwear unexpectedly rolling potentially injuring the user, and the like. However, the outer shell 205 is not limited to this number of facets, and more or fewer faceted surfaces may be provided on the outer surface 210 of the outer shell 205. In some examples, the outer surface 210 may be smooth, rounded, ovoid, elliptical, grooved, and the like.

As illustrated in FIG. 10, the engagement member 230 may include an outer surface 231 which generally corresponds to the perimeter shape of the aperture or opening a formed at the top of the engagement member 205. That is, the inner surface of the engagement member 230 may be substantially similar to the outer surface 210, and in some examples may include ten faceted surfaces therein to form a decagonal perimeter shape to the opening 206. Accordingly, similar to the example of the heel protector assembly 100 discussed above, when the engagement member 230 is inserted into the opening 206 of the outer shell 205, the engagement member 230 may be securely retained therein and rotation of the engagement member 230 within the outer shell 205 may be reduced. This may also improve the contact surface area and therefore the frictional forces between the outer surface 231 of the engagement member 230 and the inner surface of the outer shell 205.

The outer shell 205 may be provided with an accessory mounting slot 220 formed therein. As illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13, the accessory mounting slot 220 may be formed in a substantially T-shape as seen from the top to accept a flange member 244 and post 242 of an accessory 240. The accessory mounting slot 220 may be formed in an upper surface 213 of the outer shell 205 such that an accessory 240 may be easily inserted and removed from the slot 220. The accessory 240 may include an indicia 241 coupled to the flange member 244 by a post 242. In some examples, the indicia 241 of the accessory 240 may include a logo, initials, a picture, an illumination device, a light-emitting diode (LED) lighting mechanism, an LED display, and the like. In some examples the accessory 240 may be used to identify the source of the heel protection assembly 200, such as a manufacturer, while in other examples the accessory 240 may correlate to the type of event where the heel protection assembly 200 is being used (e.g., initials of a wedding couple, a year or date of the event, a logo of a company promoting the event, and the like).

In other examples, the accessory 240 may be used to identify the owner of the shoes with which the heel protector assembly 200 is being used. For example, an event coordinator may provide a variety of accessories 240 having different identifying features which a user may choose from. This may include an set of initials, a symbol, a specific LED color, a particular illumination pattern, and the like. Accordingly, a user of the heel protection assembly 200 may quickly and easily identify their shoes from a distance, and accidental confusion of the owner of the shoes may be prevented.

The accessory 240, including the indicia 241, attachment post 242, and flange member 244 may be formed from a substantially rigid material to ensure a secure fit of the accessory 240 to the heel protection assembly 200. In some examples, the accessory 240 may be formed from substantially the same material as the outer shell 205. In other examples, the accessory 240, and particularly the attachment post 242 and flange member 244, may be formed from a more rigid material than the outer shell 205. Although illustrated as including a generally circular indicia 241, the indicia 241 is not limited to this and substantially any size, shape, and design may be provided for the indicia 241. Furthermore, although the accessory mounting slot 220 is illustrated as substantially T-shape to accept a flange member 244 and post 242, the present disclosure is not limited to this and accessories 240 may be coupled to the heel protection assembly 200 in many ways including by the use of a rubber band, ribbon, string, metal ring(s), silicone ring(s), glue, magnets, clips, snap-on, hook and loop (e.g., Velcro), and the like.

With reference to FIGS. 10, 17, and 18, the engagement member 230 may include a plurality of vanes 232 having a sloped surface 232 provided at an upper end thereof, a substantially flat upper surface 233, and engagement surfaces 237. Similar to the to the engagement member 130 of the heel protector assembly 100, the sloped surface 232A may allow for a heel to be easily inserted into the opening 208 formed between engagement surfaces 237. Further, as a heel of a shoe is inserted into the engagement member 230, the heel may urge the sloped surface 232A to flex and deform the vanes 232 to resiliently and securely engage with the heel. That is, as a heel is inserted into the engagement member 230, the vanes 232 may flex or radially compress to increase the effective contact area of the engagement surface 237, thereby increasing the frictional force between the heel and the vanes 232. Furthermore, the flexibility of the vanes 232 may also allow for the engagement member 230 to be used with various sizes and shapes of heels, thereby allowing for a variety of shoe styles to be used with the same engagement member.

The upper surface 233 of the engagement member 230, which may optionally be flat with respect to the sloped surfaces 232A, may provide resistance to lateral movement of the heel within the engagement member 230. Accordingly, the heel may be securely retained within the engagement member 230 while providing a more stable support structure for the heel when in use. In some examples, the upper surface 233 may be made of a more rigid material than the vanes 232 to allow the vanes 232 to remain flexible while the upper surface 233 is rigid. For example, in some examples the material forming the engagement member 230 may have a variable density wherein the density increases with increasing radius from a center of the engagement member 230, so that a material forming the outer portion of the member 230 corresponding to the upper surface 233 and outer surface 231 is denser and therefore more rigid than the inner radial portions corresponding to the vanes 232.

As illustrated in FIGS. 14-16, in some examples the outer shell 205 may further include exterior gripping features 224 and internal gripping features 222. The exterior gripping features 224 may be provided a bottom surface 214 of the outer shell 230. Exterior gripping features 224 may provide additional frictional contact with certain surfaces to help prevent slipping while the heel protection assembly 200 is in use with a shoe such as a high-heel shoe. In some examples, internal gripping features 222 may also be provided on an interior of the bottom surface 214 of the outer shell 205. The interior gripping features 222 may be provided to help prevent slipping of the heel inserted within the engagement member 230. In some examples, auxiliary gripping features 226 may also be provided. As illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15, the auxiliary gripping features 226 may be shaped in the form of a logo, a business or supplier name, and the like. However, the auxiliary gripping features 226 may be in the form of substantially and design desired by the user or the manufacturer. Furthermore, as discussed below with respect to FIGS. 19 and 20, auxiliary gripping features 226 may also be replaced with a slot for receiving a removable base. The removable base may provide an increased platform diameter to allow for use of high-heel footwear on particularly soft surfaces.

As illustrated in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 13B, the external gripping features 224, internal gripping features 222, and auxiliary gripping features 226 may be formed as grooves or slots formed within the bottom surface 214 of the outer shell 205. The depth of the grooves may be varied as needed to improve gripping ability. In some examples, the grooves may also include a gripping material provided therein, such as a resilient polymer material including a silicone polymer, rubber, and the like. This may be provided during manufacture or by the user as needed. In other examples, as opposed to being formed as grooves or slots, the external gripping features 224, internal gripping features 222, or auxiliary gripping features 226 may be formed to protrude from the surface of the bottom surface 214 of the outer shell 205.

Similar to the heel protector assembly 100 discussed above with respect to FIGS. 1-8, in some examples, the bottom surface 214 of the heel protector assembly 200 may have various thicknesses to enable the heel protector assembly 200 to increase or decrease the height of the heel inserted therein. This may be particularly useful when a heel has become damaged or worn, wherein the height of one heel does not match the height of the heel of the other matching shoe. This may also be useful if the user of the high-heel shoe has an anatomical difference or disparity in one of the user's feet or legs, which may cause an uneven length for the leg or posture of the foot. Accordingly, in some examples a heel protector assembly 200 may include a thicker bottom surface 214, thereby compensating for the anatomical disparity. If apertures are provided in a bottom surface 214 which allow for grip members (not shown) to extend therethrough, then instead of or in addition to a variable thickness to the bottom surface 214, the length that the grip members (not shown) extend below the bottom surface 214 may be adjusted to compensate or accommodate the anatomical difference or disparity discussed above. That is, an engagement member 230 may be selected or replaced within the outer shell 205 such that the grip members (not shown) extend below the bottom surface 214 by a desired amount, thereby effectively changing the resting height of the heel and compensating for any anatomical disparities.

Referring to FIGS. 19 and 20, another example of a heel protector assembly 400 is depicted. The heel protector assembly 400 may be substantially similar to the heel protector assembly 200 discussed above with respect to FIGS. 9-18. The heel protector assembly 400 includes an outer shell 405 for use with an engagement member such as engagement member 230 as described above. The outer shell 405 may include an aperture or opening 406 at an upper end thereof for receiving an engagement member 230 as described above with respect to FIGS. 9-18. The outer shell 405 may include an outer surface 410 having a plurality of faceted surfaces provided around the surface 410.

The outer shell 405 may further include a beveled or chamfered edge 415 at a bottom end thereof. The beveled edge 415 may be provided to allow for a more natural walking position and to reduce the concentration of forces at the edge of the outer shell 405 when in use (e.g., when a user is walking with the heel protector assembly 400 coupled to a heel of a shoe). Further, the faceted surfaces and beveled edge 415 may increase the aesthetic appeal of the outer shell 405 while enabling easy gripping of the outer shell 405 by the user, which may enable easier application of the heel protector assembly 400 to a heel of a high-heel shoe or other footwear (not shown).

The outer shell 405 may further include a channel 417 for removably receiving a protrusion 454 of a detachable base 450. The channel 417 may be provided on a bottom surface 414 of the outer shell 405 so that the base 450 may be slideably coupled to the outer shell 405. As seen in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 20B, the channel 417 may have a substantially trapezoidal shape to securely and slideably engage the protrusion 454 and prevent the base 450 from unintentionally being removed from the outer shell 405. In some examples, the channel 417 and protrusion 454 may form a dove-tail type of joint.

In some examples, the base 450 may be sized and shaped to have a larger diameter than the diameter of the bottom surface 414 of the outer shell. By increasing the diameter of the base 450, the contact area of the heel protector assembly 400 with surface or ground may be increased, which can improve stability on hard surfaces and/or prevent the heel from sinking in softer surfaces such as grass, sand, mud, and the like. Accordingly, the base 450 provides additional customizability for the heel protection assembly 400 by enabling the assembly 400 to be used in a wider variety of settings. In some examples, the channel 417 may take the place of the auxiliary gripping members features 226 of the heel protection assembly 200 as discussed above to enable a base 450 to be provided in conjunction with the heel protection assembly of FIGS. 9-18.

In some examples, the base 450 may have various thicknesses to enable the heel protector assembly 400 to increase or decrease the height of the heel inserted therein. This may be particularly useful when a heel has become damaged or worn, wherein the height of one heel does not match the height of the heel of the other matching shoe. This may also be useful if the user of the high-heel shoe has an anatomical difference or disparity in one of the users feet or legs, which may cause an uneven length for the leg or posture of the foot. Accordingly, in some examples a heel protector assembly 400 may include a thicker base 450 for attachment thereto, thereby compensating for the anatomical disparity.

The heel protector assemblies 100, 200, and 400 discussed above may be sized to have a universal fit for many sizes and shapes of footwear heels. In some examples, the outer diameter of the heel protector assemblies discussed above may be 20 mm ±30%. In a particular example, the upper diameter of the heel protector assemblies 100, 200, 400 may be 20 mm ±30%. The faceted surface of the heel protector assembly 200 may extend 25 mm ±30% from a top surface of the assembly 200, and the chamfered edge 215 may extend 5 mm ±30%. In some examples, the base diameter of the heel protector assemblies 100, 200, 400 may be 21 mm ±30%. In a preferred example, engagement members of the heel protector assemblies 100, 200, 400 may be sized to fit heel diameters from 8-13 mm ±30% to thereby allow use with a wide variety of heels and footwear.

It is noted that the engagement members 130, 230 of the heel protector assemblies 100, 200, 400 may be interchangeably used and are not limited to use with outer shells 105, 205, 405. Similarly, the design of the vanes 132 of engagement member 130 may be provided in the engagement member 230, and the vanes 232 of the engagement member 230 may be provided in the engagement member 130. As discussed above, outer shells 105, 205, 405 may be provided with a sound-dampening, force-absorbing, or anti-skid material to all or a portion of the shells 105, 205, 405. In some examples, an epoxy paint or coating, a slip-resistant coating, anti-slip tape, or high-friction coating may be applied to the outer shells 105, 205, 405. In some examples a rubber or silicone coating may be sprayed on or applied to the bottom surface of the outer shells or to the entire outer surface of the outer shells. The outer shells 105, 205, 405 may be dipped in said sound-dampening, force-absorbing, or anti-skid material, or a separate rubber or silicone pad may be glued or otherwise secured to the bottom surface 114, 214, 414 of the outer shells and/or to the detachable base 450.

Additionally, an Internet of Things (IoT) sensor (not shown) may be provided in the outer shell 105, 205, 405 and/or in the engagement member 130, 230. An IoT sensor may in some examples be used as a fitness tracker. The sensor may wirelessly connect (e.g. via Bluetooth, ZigBee, WiFi, IEEE802.11, and the like) to a smart phone app. Distance, steps/heel strikes, amount of wear time, calories burned, and stairs can be measured. The IoT sensor may also be used as a trigger, when an area is equipped with an IoT or automation system. For example, when a user arrives home the IoT sensor may be detected and the house lights turn on in response to sensing the owner is home. If a user has lost their shoe, they can use an app connected to a smart home system to see which room the shoes are located. Also, in addition to or alternatively, an RFID sensor may be provided for use in the supply chain. For example, an RFID sensor may be provided on an outer shell or on an engagement member to track the heel protector assembly during shipping and distribution from the manufacturer to the retailer. On the retailer side, they can have the ability track their inventory in real time, if their inventory system is equipped to track RFID tags. RFID can also be used for marketing. For example, as smart billboards become more prevalent, a smart billboard can sense the RFID sensor and display marketing material (sales, perks, discounts), providing an additional marketing channel for retailers.

The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the structure and use of exemplary embodiments of the invention as defined in the claims. Although various embodiments of the claimed invention have been described above with a certain degree of particularity, or with reference to one or more individual embodiments, those skilled in the art could make numerous alterations to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the claimed invention. Other embodiments are therefore contemplated. It is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only of particular embodiments and not limiting. Changes in detail or structure may be made without departing from the basic elements of the invention as defined in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A universal heel protection assembly for use with footwear, comprising: a outer shell comprising an opening at a top end of the outer shell; an engagement member comprising a plurality of vanes and at least one engagement surface; and wherein the engagement member is configured to be received in the opening of the outer shell, and the vanes are configured for securely receiving a heel of the footwear therein.
 2. The heel protection assembly of claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the outer shell comprises a plurality of surface features selected from the group including faceted surfaces, grooves, dimples, and bumps.
 3. The heel protection assembly of claim 1, wherein the engagement member further comprises a plurality of grip members.
 4. The heel protection assembly of claim 3, wherein a bottom surface of the outer shell comprises a plurality of apertures corresponding to the plurality of grip members, the aperture configured to receive one or more of the plurality of grip members.
 5. The heel protection assembly of claim 1, wherein the engagement member further comprises a plurality of retention members for retaining the engagement member within the outer shell and preventing rotation of the engagement member relative to the outer shell.
 6. The heel protection assembly of claim 5, wherein the outer shell further comprises a plurality of recesses configured to receive one or more of the retention members.
 7. The heel protection assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer shell is formed from a rigid material and at least a portion of the engagement member is formed from a resilient, flexible material.
 8. The heel protection assembly of claim 1, wherein the outer shell is at least partially coated with a friction-increasing, sound-dampening, and/or force-absorbing coating.
 9. The heel protection assembly of claim 1, further comprising an accessory selectively couplable to the outer shell and including one or more indicia.
 10. The heel protection assembly of claim 1, wherein when the heel of the footwear is inserted into the engagement member nested within the opening of the outer shell, the vanes are configured to flexibly deform to increase the contact surface between the engagement member and the heel.
 11. The heel protection assembly of claim 10, wherein the flexibly deformable vanes are configured to flexibly deform to provide a universal fit for various heel shapes and diameters from 5 mm to 20 mm.
 12. The heel protection assembly of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of grip members protrude from the bottom surface of the outer shell.
 13. The heel protection assembly of claim 1, further comprising an internet of things (IoT) sensor and/or a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag provided on one or more of the outer shell and the engagement member.
 14. The heel protection assembly of claim 1, wherein the footwear is a high-heel or stiletto shoe.
 15. The heel protection assembly of claim 1, wherein the engagement member is configured to be entirely received in the opening of the outer shell.
 16. A method of providing supplemental support for footwear having a heel, comprising: providing a heel protection assembly including an outer shell including an opening at a top end of the outer shell, and an engagement member comprising a plurality of vanes and at least one engagement surface; nesting the engagement member within the opening of the outer shell by inserting the engagement member into the opening; and inserting the heel into the engagement member, wherein the at least one engagement surface and/or vanes flexibly deform to secure the heel within the heel protection assembly. 